We just happened upon this little gem in Asheville, NC. Amazing food, excellent service, reasonably priced- just amazing!

Reasonably good food, eclipsed by fantastic service. I stopped by for a quick lunch on a Saturday when the brunch menu was available. The outdoor seating was really nice on a comfortable summer day. In terms of the food, I was thrilled to find that they had a vegetarian platter that I could order off the brunch menu, so I went with it. It was reasonably good, but not exceptional. It was made up of a number of component parts that didn't always fit together. The cheese arepa was great. The fried egg was as expected. The mixed veggies underneath had the wrong tone for the dish. The shiitake mushrooms did add umami, but that was the wrong flavor profile. Not bad. They just didn't fit the rest of the dish. The fruit also seemed out of place. The house made chorizo was clearly a seitan product, and it was good. It was just a lot of seitan, and that's a product I try to avoid. In terms of the service, everything was exceptional. Our server was very nice and demonstrated exceptional situational awareness. She was present as much as needed, but no more. She was also fast, despite waiting on half the restaurant. I was able to get in and out quickly to get back to my day. All told, a completely reasonable destination. I suspect their meat based dishes might fit together a little better, but the vegetarian options could be improved. read more

Chorizo - Vegetarian Plate. (brunch menu) - Latin American Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Recently took a four day three night trip to Asheville to see the Biltmore. We ate our way through the town and had several nights where we enjoyed cocktails at lively bars and great eateries. The restaurant scene here is great. Chorizo was just across the street from our hotel so we overlooked it at first. I now regret that. The ambience, the food, the experience. Everything was great. We could've easily eaten 3-4 meals here! This is a menu worth exploring. Interesting S American cuisine. The four people in our party all ordered something different and tried to decide who ordered the best meal. The Indio plate had so many different flavor profiles, but came together for a savory meal. We all left stuffed with food still on our plates. Too many choices to want to split a plate, but portions are bountiful. Great value, diverse menu and friendly staff! Chorizo is an Asheville MUST try! read more

This is my first time visiting Asheville and my mom's second, and after walking around downtown twice, we somehow kept ending up back at this restaurant. There's just something so charming and inviting about it that draws you in. The true highlight, though, was the hospitality. On our first visit we had Rusty, and on our second we had Alex. Both of them were absolute gentlemen and total sweethearts. We genuinely enjoyed chatting with them , they made us feel so welcome and gave fantastic recommendations. Their warmth and attentiveness really elevated the entire experience. And the food? Absolutely amazing! Everything we tried was delicious. We would highly recommend this spot to anyone visiting Asheville. If you're lucky enough to have Rusty or Alex as your server, you're guaranteed an exceptional experience from start to finish. read more

Beautiful space with food to match! We started with guac. Then shared the ropas viejas entree & ropas viejas tacos. Everything was delicious. read more

Chorizo - Ropas viejas entree. - Latin American Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

See all

The food is absolutely 5 star! We were so sad when Chorizo closed several years ago, as it was one of our favorite restaurants. Now it is back and the food is as good as ever! It's always so fresh and flavorful! The inside is small, but they keep it open to the outside when temperatures allow and it's very comfortable and airy. Can't wait to go again! read more

This place is AMAZING! The chef, the service, the food, OMG the fooooood! You will love this place. It is small so plan ahead and get a reservation if you can. The vibe is fun and the staff makes it a memorable experience. read more

Fantastic! Nice ambience with comfortable music. Service staff was knowledgeable and very pleasant. Food was absolutely fantastic. Ceviche was delicious, I got the old Indian. Wife got the paella. And we shared a chocolate torque pistachio thing that was amazing! Only thing disappointing honestly was the flan was a little too firm. read more

See all

First time in this gorgeous spot in my hometown! It's right downtown in the grove arcade area. The food is smashing, mimosas yumtastic, and our waitress was so sweet and attentive! We have definitely found our new brunch spot and I'm looking forward to see what dinner is like! read more

See all

Service was friendly and helpful, all of us had wonderful meals. The dishes were flavor bombs! Seemed pretty authentic, spanning many Latin cultures. My fish was delicious, will try the ceviche next time for sure. read more

Chorizo has recently updated its menu. We just ate their for brunch. They open at 9 a.m. They have an amazingly delicious $12 menu, which includes a fruit salad with those items. I had the crab benedict, which also included avocado on the side. Service was impeccable. The remodeling is colorful and sophisticated. Best brunch in town. read more

Chorizo - Crab benedict $12 - Latin American Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Went for Saturday brunch and it did not disappoint! The food was delicious and priced really well for the amount of food provided. Love that the breakfast dishes all came with a fruit salad. Our waitress was amazing! The entire vibe of the place was welcoming, will be back to try out the rest of the menu. read more

Local here. This is our new favorite restaurant in town! Generous portions, delicious food, reasonably priced. We've been twice in three days now. Yum! read more

Food was delicious!! Service was amazing!! Drinks were delicious!! Love the location in downtown Asheville. Close to the pinball museum which is a great way to start your evening . read more

Vibes were weird. Food was not good. The name of the restaurant was misleading, as I assumed it would be Mexican food.

Maybe it was an off day; this place didn't meet expectations. We dined here the day after Christmas and the place seemed short staffed (1 person was filling in from the restaurant next door). It took three requests to get a soda to the table. I ordered the Cubano. It was not pressed and grilled and was very dry. It did not have pickles and, as it was placed on the table, the server simply stated they were out of pickles. I said that's a pretty important part of the sandwich, to which she replied, "I agree" and walked away. It came with very soggy home made chips. It was not good; not one bit. My son had the Cuban steak sandwich. He gave it an unenthusiastic "fine" when I asked him how it was. My wife had the shrimp and grits and found the grits boring. With all the dining options in Asheville this place needs to do better. That Cubano should have never reached the table, as they didn't have the ingredients, and the service was subpar (I suspect that was do to the holidays, though). In the end, we left disappointed. read more

Waited a very long time to be acknowledged after I was seated. Finally went back to the hostess and she took my beer order. About 5 beers on the menu. I ordered the chilling rellano. It was out of a frozen food box and was not warm all the way through. Delicious salad and black bean/vegetable/olive medley came with the entree. Frozen entree and good sides cost $17! You have got to be kidding me! No one ever asked if I wanted another beer. And it took forever for the waiter to come ask if I was ready for my check. ZERO stars! read more

I had a really great meal here. Nice fish dishes. Margaritas are...ok. Not real strong mexico margs. Food is really good though and its and option for us. I like Limones better by far, but this is a bit cheaper and more kid friendly. The other yelpers are right. A very bright and nice space to dine in also. Very filling portions too. read more

Chorizo - Chicken special - Latin American Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

We just happened by this place while waiting for our appointment at Wake around the corner. My daughter spotted the words "Chorizo" and knew she had found her slice of heaven. For "brunch" we had the Paisa Columbiana and the Coconut Lamb. So many wonderful flavors packed in such a beautiful presentation. My daughter was a little disappointed the Chorizo here was not spicy, but she loved it all the same. I seriously cannot wait to go back next time I am in town. read more

Chorizo - Paisa Columbiana (front) & the Coconut Lamb (back) - Latin American Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Even if you don't consider yourself a fan of guacamole, before you banish it from your life forever please try the guac at Chorizo. WOW. Hands down the best guacamole I've ever had, and I like the stuff anyway. A big bowl of that with their chips alone is worth a trip to this downtown Asheville spot. This was my first try at Latin food, and was not disappointed. I ordered the steak burrito which was fabulous - strips of steak with goat cheese, black beans and rice. Absolutely delicious, and a large portion. The atmosphere was enjoyable; though small, the interior is brightly colored and cozy. The prices are reasonable. The restrooms are at the end of a bit of a maze, but you eventually get there. Due to the very small size, I wouldn't recommend groups try to eat here. I will absolutely visit Chorizo again! read more

We're were trying to decide where to take out-of-town guests (a young couple) to dinner, and since they were staying downtown and we couldn't get reservations at the times we wanted at Cúrate or Limones or some other spots we really like, we settled on Chorizo as a compromise, thinking it was a lively, moderately priced place. We were somewhat disappointed, especially given good experiences at Chorizo in the past at lunch. Chrorizo was pleasant enough, our guests enjoyed sitting outside, our server was very friendly (there was just one waitperson for the entire restaurant). Understandably, given the staffing level service was slow, but we weren't in a hurry so that's okay. But the food wasn't exceptional. Or even much above average. Let me be frank and call it mediocre. The fried calamari appetizer ($10) was generously sized but the squid was rubbery and tough. The chicken taquitas appetizer ($10) was also generous but nothing special. The four entrees -- Pionono ($17), Arroz con Pollo ($17), Paella del Mar ($20) and the Salmon Fajita ($18) -- were all okay, but nobody raved about them. I really just got the feeling I was in a tourist restaurant with overpriced food. Perhaps the owner, Mr. Diaz, is off taking care of the expansion of Salsa's, and that this place and his Modesto's next door are not getting full attention. But, gee, with drinks (one beer, one glass of wine and a total of five cocktails among us), four entrees and two appetizers with tax and tip the bill came to about $200. At half that I would have thought the pricing was reasonable. Bottom line: While our guests had a pleasant evening, and I guess that's what it's all about, my impression was that we were in an overpriced, mediocre restaurant run by remote control. When there are so many wonderful restaurants in Asheville that are priced the same or only a little more, why go back here? read more

I went to Chorizo for brunch on a Sunday and my biggest regret is not trying their Bloody Marys. (I was there too early for that "no alcohol until noon on Sundays" law.) That said, though the coffee is $3 a cup it's free refills and it's good. Food-wise, there's a big selection but be warned - it's mostly savory food, and only the rare dish is priced under $10. Portions are huge, though. I had the flapjack meal and my friend had the chorizo burrito; while the fish fritter and the over-medium eggs weren't to my taste, my friend's burrito was delicious, and my flapjack and bacon were great as well. I do think the seating is a bit uncomfortable. We sat in a hard wooden booth, and the chairs, while cute with the theme of the restaurant, didn't look like they would be any better. Still, if you're looking for a good brunch and aiming for something different, I do suggest checking out Chorizo. read more

We love this place!! Great margaritas. Great flavorful food. Great outdoor seating. We have visited Chorizo on at least three occasions over the years and it's one of our favorite places to eat in Asheville. It's always consistently wonderful. read more

See all

This place is great, but with all the other spanish/mexican places in town, i don't know that it stands above the rest. I've only been in for a couple quick bites. Everything has been good, but nothing has been amazing. I'll be back and give a more solid update. read more

Such a lovely place in downtown Asheville! The atmosphere, food, and service all are superb! I ordered the double trout tacos and they were heaven. A great entree for fish lovers and someone that wants to test the waters of the Latin food cuisine. I really enjoyed the fact that there were many options on the menu along with a vast amount of daily specials. The employees were extremely professional, friendly, and worked efficiently to get us our food during a busy night. The restaurant is fairly small, but there is outdoor seating which is nice! The inside is very open and artsy. Definitely a great place that exhibits a lot of the culture in Asheville. I will definitely be coming back here! read more

Very friendly service. Good conversation with Erika, our waitress. Food was well presented, delicious-looking, delicious-tasting, and awesome food! Great atmosphere to have dinner or brunch and kick back a bit. I had the Mexican Coffee, a first. Highly recommended! The food was a balance of being well portioned as well as complementary that enhanced the flavor and culinary experience. Just watching it, I knew what to expect. After action review substantiated that expectation. If you want to enhance your experience, ask for Erika! Very attentive, gave good, sound advice that informed the decision making process. Many thanks Erika! read more

See all

We went for dinner and the food although a bit expensive was good. But our male server didn't even tell us his name and only said a handful of words to us. The food was good but the service was lacking. The hostess was great though! I want to give the food a 4 star but my poor service really hurt my experience. read more

Chorizo - Fajitas del mar & steak fajitas! - Latin American Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Wow is all I can say, Chef Hector had quite the concept here... His colorful Spanish / Latin infusion dishes will blow you away... Chorizo is by far the best restaurant in all of Asheville. I have some dietary restrictions that I needed to stick with and Chef Hector made it happen!! Had grilled chicken, coconut rice, boiled Yuka that was then I Pan seared ...Was so stinking delicious ... Then had a cucumber chutney... I'm drooling over this dish!! It was cooked to perfection...and pretty to look at. Let's talk about the impeccable service we had with our sever Rose... She was fantastic... Knew all of the dishes... Was extremely helpful ... Happy... Did not skip one beat... She was perfect! The ambiance was colorful just like the food. Great location and music!!! Sweet hosting ladies. Loved Chorizo so much ...came back 2nights in a row!!! I can't wait to come back to Asheville to enjoy this place again!! Chorizo needs a few additional locations .. Swear the quality blows the Miami Latin Food Scene away! Chef Hector you need a spotlight ... Your concept is on fire ... FUEGO Thank you so much for a beautiful dining experience... X2. read more

My paella was sitting in too much oil, but I tried to make the best of it. About half way into it, my stomach started to cramp, and it sent me to the bathroom real fast. There were four in our party; two had no complaints about their food. The other said his was too salty (he had a seafood trio dish). I turned down a take-out box from the waitress, and I NEVER turn down take-out boxes. The service and hostess were professional and attentive. That was the positive of this experience. P.S. The paella (the one with chorizo, chicken and pork) was $17, and it certainly was a rip off. I've had paella that tasted better and came as a larger portion. I'm also not surprised this is one of Hector's other restaurants. Salsa's is overrated. The last couple of times I ate there, the flavors clashed like the kitchen didn't know what they were doing. read more

There's a rule in the industry, if you can't give them good food then give them a lot of it. Chorizo not only gives you good food but also a lot of it. It's a double whammy. I'm originally from Florida, so if you're going to serve me Ropa Vieja then you'd better come correct. It was absolutely delicious. I could not have been happier with the food. Great flavor in everything, the meat was tender, the guac fresh, the veggies pickled just right. I complained to my server that the result of my food being too good was that I ate too much and my swollen gut was embarrassing me. It was a busy evening and our server was doing the best she could to keep up with our back and forth drink orders and her best was great. Very friendly, very attentive and fun to interact with. We ordered every Mojito they had, they were alright. Nothing spectacular. Totally refreshing on a warm night but not good enough to get tore up on. They say the make the fruit reductions fresh daily for the drinks and although they tasted fresh, there was just too much soda in there to really get any burst of flavor out of the mix. The atmosphere here is great. Nice mix of rustic inside and urban on the patio/sidewalk. Definitely worth a try. I'll be back. read more

So for New Years Eve my husband made reservations with this place, it had great reviews so it made it easy to stop looking. We had reservations for 8pm we arrived 10 mins prior (habit), when we got there our table wasn't ready and we were told to wait outside (mind you it was 35 degrees outside and they didn't have any heaters or anything to ensure customers can wait outside). We wait 15mins until our table for which we had to wait 10 more minutes to get our waiter, we ordered our drinks and ordered appetizers and when she comes back we ordered our food since we see ppl waiting long for their food. Well our appetizers and food all arrived at the same time!! Huge bummer, I asked her why did everything arrived at the same time her response was well I guess it got done fast! What? My husband ordered a paella it had 3 pieces of chicken and 2 pieces of shrimps and the plate was filled with peppers and onions! Rice wasn't even the main star, he was not happy and for $24 he was expecting better quality. He was not happy with it. I ordered beef fajitas, they were ok meat was cooked well, black beans had no seasoning and guacamole on the side of every dish was not something I was expecting. We went and ordered a mojito which was sugar and mint leaves! Wish I had taken a picture of it. Well to finish we will not go back, not sure what's the hype of the expensive food. The waiters could use some customer service training and in the winter they should have some heaters! read more

See all

Can't speak for dinner, but lunch was just incredible. The menu selection is enough to make me happy, as they have a great variety of menu items to suit any diet. The burrito wrap I got was phenomenal, although I really wish more places would realize that cilantro is not a garnish, and a great deal of us actually hate it. Price was great, and we'll certainly be going back. read more

Likely my best dining experience during this trip to Asheville. Went here for breakfast and thanks to my awesome waiter, I ended up getting the vegetarian pupusa. Never had a pupusa before and this was delightful. It is a Salvadoran dish made with corn tortilla and stuffed with cheese (not a whole ton though!). It was topped with a yummy salad, two eggs over medium and black beans. Served with a side of their famous hot sauce, which complemented the dish perfectly. I was really tempted to order another serving to go. They don't serve alcohol before noon on Sunday, sounds like a NC law. Sigh. Anyways, I got a non alcoholic mojito fritz that was delicious. I will definitely come back here again!! read more

One of my favorites and living here in Asheville with a partner who is an amazing cook does not allow me to go out and review in my own town. So this has become a Saturday out and about lunch favorite for both of us. I tend to eat the same things once favorites are discovered so let me simply recommend the chile rellenos. Even following one dish there are options of what you want the chilies stuffed with so please experiment. My fallback is the chicken. My only complaint are the tourists who will NOT watch their children until they are falling all over the tables and other patrons. Parents take note! Keep them away from me unless they are delivering my meal. Nuff said. I have watched the wait staff pick up plates off the floor and sidewalks too many times. read more

Note: From my recent vacation to Asheville/Lake Lure NC. We took a walking eating tour of downtown Asheville called "Eating Asheville". It was awesome. One of the places mentioned (but not visited) was "Chorizo". Later on that evening, we decided to try it out. A Latin restaurant, it was cozy inside with really good service. I would like to tell you what I had, but I honestly cannot remember what it was called. It was this huge bowl of salmon, mussels, pineapple, and this unbelievably tasty broth. It came with some accouterments such as tortillas, etc, but I had no idea how to eat it. In the end I just about drank the broth, but was unable to finish this delicious behemoth of a meal. I can also mention that my friend had the Paella and he said it was amazing. For dessert I had this powerful coffee concoction and a dense chocolate mousse pie. Let me just say this: the service was legit and the food was great. If you are in the area and you feel like some Latin fare, you should really give Chorizo a shot! read more

After recently dining at Chorizo, I felt vindicated in what I've often said: really good restaurant food is not everywhere at our disposal. I wish it was, but it's not. Chorizo is a stark reminder of what corporate chains have done, and how really, really good food created using imagination and prepared with love is a rarity. My husband and I ate at Chorizo in mid-June, enjoying brunch on a Thursday morning. The smell of the wood burning oven and open dining reminded us of Portugal. The waiter was very polite and engaging. The decor is charming and vibrant, evoking the feeling of enjoyment. The food? Well, the food was amazing. Chorizo doesn't make your typical Mexican food. It isn't your typical Latin fare. It is its own unique fusion of Hispanic and Latin cuisine that makes you leave with the following conclusion: Food should be this good at every restaurant. read more

Pros- wide variety of Latin cuisine featuring several countries, location, wine list Cons- too pricey for Latin food, no free chips, chef's skill Comments - you could easily spend $100 plus for dinner for 2 and cocktails which is expensive for Latin fare. I ordered Margarita Apepe which had approximately 30 ingredients in it. Sometimes less is more as the dish lacked cohesion and consistency. Most of the pork was inedible as the chef did not clean the meat or remove excess fat properly. My date's dish appeared to be tainted with some foreign meat that should not have been included. Burritos start at $13 for a price comparison. Service was adequate. read more

Just because a restaurant is downtown doesn't mean they should jack up prices and make you PAY for chips and salsa. 6 dollars will get you a small bowl of chips and a medium sized bowl of salsa. Unfortunately there are 3 salsas in the same bowl and it's impossible to taste just one at a time. One person in our group of 6 could stand to eat the spicy salsa and he loved it, but the rest of us wished the spicy salsa would quit oozing into the other salsas. If you go, ask if you can get just one type of salsa in the dish so you can actually taste it! The guacamole is great and you get a pretty big bowl of that, so I definitely recommend that for an appetizer. It's 9 dollars, but like I said, you get a lot, and guac is never inexpensive. If you want a drink, go for the margarita! I give one star for this potent lime drink. You can taste the yummy tequila and will get a nice buzz super fast. The sangria, however was lacking big time! The pina colada has a good flavor if you like sweet drinks. We didn't get any meals, because they were too expensive, but we did have an appetizer of veggie nachos. These were quite tasty. The service was good, she was attentive to all 6 of us and let us know that gratuity was already included in our ticket prices. If they were to give chips and salsa free as any other restaurant would, I would go back. But I'm not paying 6 bucks to get what other restaurants provide for free. read more

Breakfast at Chorizo was excellent. We had the chorizo breakfast burrito and the chorizo pupusas. Both were delicious and had some salsa and guacamole on the side. Recommend the house hot sauce: nice level of heat and flavor. Service was efficient. My only complaint is that the portion sizes require too much self control. Great experience. read more

Chorizo - Pupusa with chorizo. Eggs scrambled (over easy is the default). - Latin American Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Two dishes, and app and two beers for $70? whew. That's a bit much unless I'm left impressed and I wasn't. I love good food and I don't mind paying for it, but this was a bit over the top expensive for nothing really fancy. Was it good? Heck yes (it was healthy and nice quality Mexican food) but it was $30-40 good. The flavors weren't that unique or special, and they were a bit skimpy on the seafood (the seafood fajitas had 3 shrimp and a bit of tilapia for $22). My $5 beer was described as a "dark yuengling" after I ordered it. Nobody wants to pay $5 for a yuengling. The food was good but nothing special. The service was great. I enjoyed it, but would not go back. read more